Ivy & Bean, Shahpur Jat, New Delhi

A cute little sign with a bird outside Ivy & Bean Restaurant states ‘modern australian dining’ and ‘honesty library’. Two things sets this place apart from the numerous cafes in and around this area. Lip smacking food which is not the usual menu items and some interesting seating concepts. All this in a nice and chic area called Shahpur Jat.

Location of Ivy & Bean

The cafe is located in one of the lanes. Though there are not too many of them, there is a slight chance that you may get lost. So follow Google directions very carefully.

The first good part – seating

Ivy & Bean is located on the first floor of one of the houses in the lanes. There are lots of shops selling designer clothes. Plus this place has low rentals and lots of startups. A nice sprinkling of stationary shops too. The sizeable number of visitors to Shahpur Jat and locals mean that cafes here are styled nicely. Ivy & Bean falls in such a league. Seating here is in two parts, the inside room and balcony. A nice idea of leaves hanging on the railing gives a lot of privacy to people sitting outside on the balcony. There is a mix of sofa seating and tables. One side of the wall is devoted to a huge book shelf. Seating and interiors are done up in bright and pastel colors. The writing on the wall is clear….please sit here to read a book. This concept is very interesting and a rare in Delhi.

And about the food and the service

Except for the usual items like pasta, pizza and sandwiches, this menu is strange. This also means that you will get to eat food which is different from the usual restaurant menus of a metro city. Better to ask the waiter or server to guide you. I gave my exact requirement to the person at the counter and I got a fantastic recommendation. Another thing, this place has only one person as your server. Same person is behind the coffee and bakery counter too. Do not think that this will slow down the service though. This place is designed for a lesser crowd and service is personalized. You are well looked after.

I ordered for Three Cheese Quesadilla and was contemplating about the Christmas special menu on the table. There was a choice between a slice of carrot cake or a piece of Yule log cake. Yule log cake is a traditional Christmas cake served in many European countries. The waiter sensed my confusion and suggested the Yule log cake. This is what arrived at my table.

This was one of the most exquisite cake I had in recent times. Felt like sending my compliments to the chef. But site policies forbid such action. After some time the food arrived. The sour cream was very tasty. So was the combo of cheese and chicken.

Other points

Food is no doubt tasty. Price wise it is slightly expensive. But you will enjoy the novelty of the food which you order. And you can be a bit bold and risky with ordering.

Parking is free but on the main road. After that it is a walk down narrow and congested lanes. The inside lanes are squeakily clean. Plus some window shopping makes the experience even better.